The London School of Economics (LSE) and National Indian Students and Alumni Union (NISAU) UK recently organised a grand welcome for Indian students in the UK. The event, which was attended by new students, returning students and members of the diaspora, saw NISAU UK founder and chair Sanam Arora and LSE professor Dr Mukulika Banerjee in conversation with Bollywood actor Farhan Akhtar.
The wide-ranging conversation aimed to celebrate the journey of Indian cinema and touched on several interesting topics like investment, impact of social media, creativity and more. Known for his multi-dimensional brilliance as not only an actor but also a successful producer, director, screenwriter, musician, and a visionary, Akhtar shared his unique experiences in the inspirational conversation.
From the nostalgic lanes of ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ to the adventurous trails of ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara,’ from the suave world of ‘Don’ to the rhythmic beats of ‘Gully Boy,’ Akhtar has orchestrated a paradigm shift in Indian cinema.
Speaking on his journey as a writer began, Akhtar said: “I worked with this gentleman called Adi Pocha, who instilled in me the discipline of writing, because it's one thing to have ideas, which I'm sure all of you all do, but ideas, natural ability, a natural gift, affinity for something can only really take you that far. It is discipline that sustains you.”
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As someone who wears many hats, Akhtar was asked which one in particular he finds the most challenging.
“The most challenging to me is production, because the things it demands don't come to me naturally. Although I love working with new directors and teams, I find that things like crew management or logistics is most challenging part of filmmaking.”
Akhtar also reflected on how the youth of today can better handle the new challenges they are faced with, whether it be in terms of ideologies, new polarities, or social media.
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“Nowadays, when I speak to the younger generation, like my daughter or her friends, there seems to be a lot of clarity about what they believe is right and what is wrong, which is as much a good thing as it can be dangerous,” explains Akhtar.
“Because the minute you close yourself off to other ideas or to different understandings of the world, is when the battle lines are too deeply drawn. It's becoming very difficult to have discussions and debates about things you don't agree with. And I don't think any kind of progress is possible till we are willing to listen. So it is a time to really open your heart and mind and be good listeners.
“There is a tremendous amount of energy in the world today, in the youth of the world today. And I feel that there needs to be dialogue, conversation and discussion to keep that energy channelised positively at all times,” Akhtar noted.
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Asked about what advice he would give to young people when it comes to the use of social media, Akhtar said: “Don't seek validation from people who don't know you. Only people who know you and know you well. Only the people who know you well and want the best for you will tell you ugly truths, maybe even things you don't want to hear about yourself but listen to those people because that's coming from people who know you.”
